Euonymus, also known as ‘Spindle’ was given this name because, once upon a time it was used in making spindles used in spinning wool into yarn. It is native to most of the continents in the northern hemisphere. It home gardening it is used as an ornamental, a groundcover, or a hedge.
The species and cultivars vary greatly. They can be deciduous or evergreen, trees, shrubs, or vines with shiny, leathery leaves, small flowers in the spring, and berries in the fall. Most of their appeal comes from the wide range of foliage colors.
Good drainage is very important. Plants may be pruned at any time. Keep watered, and lightly feed plants in early spring with all-purpose slow release fertilizer worked and watered well into soil surface.
A couple of popular Spindle varieties:
E. radicans Winter Creeper– Clinging Vine. Zone 5. Held to support by root-like protrusions. 1/2 – 2″ evergreen leaves. Hardiest evergreen vine available.
E. fortunei Gold Splash– Compact Shrub. Zone 5. Most adaptable variegated Euonymus shrub. 2 – 4′ tall. Uses: Foliage Interest , Hedge , Border , Containers. Additional Features: Fall Color , Bird Lovers , Easy Care Plants , Evergreen , Variegated.
Read More
If you are looking for a way to make your flower beds a little more interesting, you should try a ground cover plant. They prevent weeds from growing and help to control erosion. They are also an excellent way to make your garden projects look lush and complete.
If you think that the classic green foliage of ivy or sweet flag is not showy enough for your garden, you could always try a flowering ground cover. Flowering ground-covers come in various colors to compliment your garden, and some of them, like Rose Salmon Vigorosa, a creeping rose, can be interesting all by itself.
If you would like to browse through a few ground covers to see if you can find something that fits your garden check out this link: Ground Covers
Read More
Shade plants are often come in a very limited color range because there is not enough sunlight to bring out most of those beautiful bright floral colors, and deep color is usually too dark to stand out. When designing a shade garden, one must rely heavily on textures and light-colored shade plants that will stand out in the low light.
This situation forces the gardener to be creative and shapes the subtle feel of the shade garden. Thankfully, there are some plants out there that have very interesting textures and the light eye-catching colors that are perfect for you shade garden. There are some new colors of
fern, brilliant variegated
hostas, and my favorite, new hues of
heuchera.
Heuchera comes in a wide variety of colors and has a ruffled texture that will add interest to your shade garden. My favorite variety of heuchera is Wayside Gardens’
‘Fire Chief’ which has a rich crimson color that will stand out against any deep green or purple foliage in your shade garden.
Read More
When cutting hydrangeas, cut them just as blooms fully develop. Cut your flowers in the early morning, before the sun comes up to evaporate some of their moisture. Cutting at diagonal will allow the stem to take in the most amount of water, some people will even cut slits or fray the ends of the stems a little. Place your freshly cut flowers in a bucket of cool water to soak for an hour or two before arranging your final product.
Once you have your flowers, use a commercial floral preservative to get the best results. This will feed your flowers, maintain a constant pH, and will serve as an anti-microbial to prevent premature decay. You should be able to find this at a local nursery. Keep in mind that many gardeners and florists complain that hydrangeas wilt faster than other cut flowers and may require a little extra planning.
Read More
Traditionally, old garden varieties and Hybrid Teas dominated the rose market. These varieties were delicate and bred specifically for their beauty. Their diseases, pests, and climate limitations were the burden of the individual gardener—a burden born with great pride, because very few people were willing to make the sacrifice. To have a yard full of roses spoke loudly, touting the reputation of the rosarian. Many people who grew roses grew little else. That is starting to change.
New, low-maintenance rose varieties are introducing rose gardening to new demographic groups, and redefining the rosarian. After the Rose Knock Out was chosen as an All- America Rose Selection (AARS) in 2000, it sold better in the following years than any rose ever before. The disease resistance and hardiness of this plant made it accessible to even the most novice gardeners. Commercial landscapers who normally avoided roses because of the hassle began using them everywhere. This was the start of a different way of thinking about roses. Breeders have seen how much people love easy roses, and I think roses will continue to get stronger.
Finally,
roses for everyone to enjoy. Some people believe that one can only hold the coveted titles of Rosarian through suffering and endless fussing with the flowers. That is not the case any longer and its a beautiful new day for us all.
